CHAPTER 10
Aelys
After three long hours, I'm finally ready for the party. Nancy used a magic healing cream on my neck, making the bruise Mattheo left almost completely disappear. We still had to put makeup over it because it was too big to disappear entirely, even with the help of magic.
My hair has been curled and cascades down to the small of my back. Thankfully, I still have natural makeup on, but I wear eyeliner, green eyeshadow, and blush in addition to my usual mascara and lipstick.
After trying on several dresses, we finally settled on an emerald green one.
It's strapless and hits mid-thigh. It's not too short, which makes it perfect for me.
Plus, it fits like a glove, hugging my body like a second skin.
My heels are black and aren't too high either, as I don't like wearing them.
I put my wand in the holster on my thigh and wait for my cousin to get ready.
She chose a burgundy dress that is shorter than mine, stopping just below her buttocks with a neckline that drops between her breasts.
Her makeup matches her dress, much more conspicuous than mine.
Her red heels are very high, and I wonder how she can walk in them without twisting an ankle.
Her short black hair is a little wavy because she let it dry naturally.
She looks sexy.
She takes my hand and leads me out of the dormitory, then out of building F, toward the main building.
Several students are already heading there as well, peals of laughter echoing through the courtyard.
We follow a group toward the faction common room where the music is deafening.
Flashes of light illuminate the dancing students and the air smells of smoke and alcohol.
Nancy leads us to a table converted into a bar for drinks and asks me what I want. I shrug, unsure of what to choose, and she fills me a cup with a clear liquid I can't quite identify.
“Vodka,” she informs me, “it’s strong, but I think it’s exactly what you need, baby.”
She winks at me and I take a sip from my glass. I grimace at the bittersweet taste, the alcohol in the drink so strong it burns my throat.
“Not bad.”
I lick my lips and let my eyes wander around the room.
I notice that many boys are staring and eyeing us from head to toe, their gazes lustful. I feel the hair on the back of my neck stand on end and I feel repulsed by all the attention I'm receiving. I'm not used to it, and the inappropriate looks from these boys make me feel nauseous.
My cousin seems to love it, as she has a sly smile on her full lips and she greets them flirtatiously.
She grabs my hand once more and leads me over to the couches where I notice all our friends are sitting, smoking a joint.
Kiara and Paula stand up and come over to us, hugging us before twirling us around with big smiles on their faces.
“Damn, girls, you look fucking hot!” Kiara winks and I feel myself blush.
“What happened to your neck?” Paula asks in a whisper as she leans towards my ear.
I tell them I'll explain everything the next day. They nod before taking us to sit next to them on a couch, and we greet the boys, who compliment us. Enzo and Arthur are on the couch to our right, Cameron and Theo to our left, and across from us are Tom and Mattheo.
My eyes meet Mattheo's and I notice he has a fresh cut on his nose.
His chocolate brown eyes are dark, his jaw set, and I quickly look away, not wanting to provoke him.
Tom's blue eyes light up as he looks me up and down with a delighted smile on his face.
I frown when I notice his knuckles are damaged.
“Looks like Tom didn't listen to us.” My cousin whispers in my ear and I understand why they are both hurt.
They fought.
I nod without breaking eye contact with Tom.
He lifts his cup to his lips, still looking at me over the rim with a twinkle in his eyes I can't quite place.
I feel myself blush and look away, just as Enzo offers us the joint.
I take it and bring it to my lips, lipstick staining the butt as I take a drag.
‘Are you enjoying being a naughty girl now, darling? By the way, you look beautiful, Aelys.’
My eyes widen as Tom's voice echoes in my head.
Still, I pretend nothing's wrong as I take another drag before handing the joint to Nancy, shivers running down my spine.
I glance over at him, seeing the satisfied smile on his lips as I feel myself blushing harder.
My gaze then falls on Mattheo, curious to see if he's annoyed by my choice of clothing or if, on the contrary, he's indifferent.
Judging by his clenched fists, his set jaw, and his dark, angry eyes directed at me, I'm guessing he is.
“Hey, how about a game of spin the bottle?” Enzo's excited voice brings me back to reality, and my attention is drawn to his smiling face. The boy always seems in a good mood, and this observation makes my lips curl slightly in response.
‘You better not play, my love.’
I jump before swallowing nervously at Mattheo's warning and sending him a small glare. He raises an eyebrow, surprised by my bold action. His eyes darken further, anger now mixed with intrigue and amusement.
Tom looks proud of me and gives me a slight nod. We all agree to play, and I see my dear future husband crush his cup in his fist, its contents sloshing a little onto his powerful hand.
‘So you want to play, huh? Very well. Let's play, my love.’
I bite my lower lip, starting to feel nervous.
Flashes from earlier come back to me, and I start to panic.
I wasn't ready to be this close to him after what he did to me.
And now he's practically threatening me, invading my mind in the process.
My leg starts bouncing up and down in an anxious tic, my cousin notices, placing her hand on my thigh in a tender gesture while giving me a reassuring smile.
“Relax, honey, he won't do anything, okay?” She whispers in my ear.
I take a deep breath to calm myself before nodding, smiling back and focusing on the group. Arthur places an empty bottle on the table in front of us, lying down and ready to be swirled.
“Okay, I'll go first.” Paula leans over to the bottle and spins it.
It lands on Theo and I see her blush like a peony.
Oh, so she likes him…
She stands up and sits on his lap. He looks surprised, but a small smile appears on his face as she cups his cheeks and kisses him. Their kiss deepens, and they only separate when they're both breathless. The boys whistle, cheering for Theo, while we girls congratulate Paula.
They blush, shaking their heads with big smiles on their faces. She tries to stand up, but he pulls her back, whispering something in her ear. She blushes more, but nods and settles comfortably on his lap.
Enzo spins the bottle and it lands on Arthur.
They exchange a look and a grimace of disgust, clearly not wanting to kiss, and try to protest, but we laughingly insist that it's just a game and they have to do it.
They grunt in displeasure but get up and move closer.
Their lips barely touch, then they frantically wipe their lips, pouting in disgust, as we laugh out loud.
The game continues for a while before it's my turn.
I hold my breath as the bottle spins and freeze when it lands on Tom, my blood running cold.
I've had a few drinks now, and while I'm not drunk, I'm not sober either.
Alcohol makes me confident, so I don't hesitate any longer.
I get up and go sit on his lap, careful not to let my dress ride up and expose my buttocks.
Tom smiles flirtatiously and places his hands on my hips, applying gentle pressure.
‘We don't have to do this if you're uncomfortable, darling.’
I don't hesitate to answer him telepathically, still wanting to maintain our privacy.
‘I'm not uncomfortable. Kiss me, Tom.’
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Mattheo looking at us intensely, his gaze dark. I'm almost certain he heard our telepathic conversation, judging by the rage in his eyes.
I cup Tom's cheeks and lean down, pressing my lips against his.
He immediately licks my lower lip, asking for entrance, and I obey, my tongue meeting his.
I bite back a moan, still aware of the audience we have, and let my hands move up into his hair, tugging lightly on his brown curls.
He grips my hips tighter and pulls me closer, pressing my chest against his.
I let out a gasp of surprise when I suddenly feel two muscular arms wrap around my waist, and then I am yanked back roughly. My breath hitch as I’m thrown over someone's shoulder and they start walking towards the common room exit.
I'm too stunned and drunk to react, so I just stare at the group with wide eyes.
Tom and Nancy jump to their feet awkwardly, the alcohol having also clouded their senses.
My cousin seems alarmed but hesitant to intervene, and I suspect it has something to do with the murderous look my fiancé must be sporting.
As for Tom, he takes a step forward, his fists clenched, but I shake my head, stopping him in his tracks.
My eyes meet his and I offer him a small, hopefully reassuring smile.
‘I can handle it.’
He seems to hesitate for a few seconds before nodding, a resigned pout twisting his lips.
‘If he hurts you, scream my name telepathically. I'll hear you. Understand, darling?’
I nod just before losing sight of them. Mattheo walks quickly, and soon we're in the courtyard, the cool September air making me shiver where it touches my flesh.
I almost sigh in relief when we step into building G and the warmth fills me again.
Within seconds, we reach the door to our dorm, and he stops long enough to open the door.
He slides briskly into the room and slams the door behind us, as I'm thrown onto the bed, my body bouncing on the mattress as I wince from the impact.
I'm no longer feeling the effects of the alcohol as I watch him lock the door, and I instinctively back away towards the headboard, pulling my knees up to my chest, arms holding them as my whole body trembles.
I don't even notice my dress riding up and exposing my panties, too scared to think straight.
My eyes are wide open as I stare at him, terrified.
He pulls out his wand and mutters a spell to the dorm room, his voice laced with anger.
Then he faces me and frowns when he sees my trembling body.
He puts his wand back in his pocket and walks slowly toward the bed, like a predator cornering its prey.
He stops when the tips of his shoes hit the bed frame, silent, his dark eyes still locked on mine.
His arms hang loosely at his sides, but his fists are clenched, so tightly that his knuckles are white from the pressure.
“What was that?” He growls.
I flinch and close my eyes for a second before opening them again, too scared to let myself take my eyes off him.
My trembling intensifies and I squeeze my knees tighter.
His eyes rake over my body, his gaze hardening when he falls on my neck, where the bruise is still visible beneath the layer of makeup.
His jaw tightens further and his darkened eyes meet mine again.
“Do I scare you?” He questions harshly, no emotion other than anger on his face.
I nod hesitantly, fighting the urge to lower my head, once again too afraid of what he is going to do.
He turns and walks over to the desk. He places his hands flat on the wood and lowers his head for a few seconds before grabbing a glass of water from the desk and throwing it across the room, smashing it against the wall.
The gesture is so sudden and brutal that I put my hand over my mouth to stifle a cry of surprise as I feel tears escaping my eyes. I silently pray to the gods that he can't hear my stifled sobs or even the frantic beating of my heart.
But I'm not so lucky as his eyes land on me again.
He watches me for a minute before rushing out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
I flinch again at his gesture and let my eyes close in relief since I'm alone now.
My head falls to my knees and I sob harder, feeling the fear slowly drain from my body now that I'm safe.
It takes me a while to breathe normally and for my tears to stop. I have no idea how long I've been crying on this bed, and I'm exhausted. All I want is to sleep now.
I slowly walk to the bathroom and take off my dress before putting on my pajamas. I remove my makeup and brush my teeth. I return to bed after, slipping under the cool sheets with my back to the door. I'm so exhausted that I close my eyes and it doesn't take long before I fall into a deep sleep.